5 reasons why you should treat hearing loss

Humans have five basic senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste.

Hearing is one of our most critical senses as hearing enables us to not only perceive our world around us, but more importantly, engage in the world around us. But a confusing statistic is that less than 1 in 4 Australians who need a hearing aid actually have one. If you are having trouble with your hearing, here are 5 reasons as to why you should treat hearing loss:

The sensing organs associated with each sense send information to the brain to help us understand, perceive and enjoy our world around us. The touch of a small hand in ours, the taste of the last mouthful of our favourite meal, the sound of a loved one’s voice.

1. You will be happier and more confident.

Hearing loss is associated with social isolation and depression. Experiencing a new situation is challenging for most, and if you have a hearing loss, it is common to not have the confidence to approach a new social experience. If you treat hearing loss, you won’t have to struggle to hear what’s being said and you can participate in the conversation with less effort and more confidence, letting you enjoy life more.

2. You will protect your grey matter.

Hearing loss is associated with a decline in cognitive health. Although the researchers are not entirely sure why this occurs, there is positive research which indicates that a hearing aid can slow this rate of decline by up to 75% – now that is worth protecting.

3. You will improve your relationships.

Communication is about listening and talking, and hearing loss can break that two way street. When you have a hearing loss it might be hard for you to engage in the conversation like you want to. It may also be hard for those around you to have a meaningful conversation with you. A hearing aid can mend that broken line of communication and improve your relationships. Ever miss the joke so often that you now just laugh rather than ask for a repeat? Laughing when you don’t know what you are laughing at is a common coping strategy for managing hearing loss in social situations. As a result, you may find yourself avoiding social situations, or being avoided in social situations. If you treat hearing loss, a hearing aid can give you the ability to hear the joke and engage in the social conversation.

4. You will boost your fitness.

Studies have shown that people with hearing loss are less likely to lead an active lifestyle. Hearing is not just for interacting with people, but it is also needed for understanding and interacting with our environment. If you are able to receive environmental cues more from your hearing aid, you may walk more, and faster, as you don’t need to invest as much energy into hearing what is around you.

5. You will maintain your independence and earn more money.

The fatigue associated with hearing loss may mean that you may not be able to work full time, or you may decide to retire earlier than you would have otherwise preferred. Maintaining independence is important to our self esteem. An untreated hearing loss can lead to a greater dependence on those around us. A hearing aid may be just what you need to treat hearing loss, keep working, and maintain your independence.

There’s more to wearing a hearing aid than just improved sound. If you think you may have a hearing loss, or someone you may know may have a hearing loss – make an appointment to see one of our Audiologists. Neurosensory has helped thousands of people with their hearing, just like you, and we are passionate about every client’s outcomes.

At Neurosensory, we believe everyone deserves to have their five senses and to be able to interact and to be able to interact with the world around them.